Academics

1. How many hours of credit does a student need to be considered a full-time student?Any student enrolled for at least 12 semester hours of credit is considered a full-time student. Williams recommends that full-time students take the normal load of 16 semester hours in order to meet graduation requirements within four years.

2. How can I obtain a copy of my student’s grades?Williams is prohibited from releasing certain information to parents/family members without permission of the student. By federal law, students over the age of 18 are considered responsible and are allowed to determine who will receive information about them. Students are encouraged to complete a release form to give parents/family members access to protected information. Each release form asks for the student to create a Security Pin Code. You must present this Security Pin Code if you call us. No detailed information can be released by phone. For more information, contact the Registrar at (870) 759-4130.

3. Where should a student go for advice regarding academics?Students, particularly freshmen, can encounter academic difficulties. First year students often face difficult transitions and adjustments to college, including separating from family members, adjusting to new living arrangements, and accommodating to the College’s higher academic standards. Students are encouraged first to contact their professors for assistance. Other resources include the student’s Academic Advisor, the Freshman Advisor (870-759-4134), the Counseling Center (870-759-4183), or the Office of Academic Affairs (870-759-4128).

4. Is tutoring available for my student?
In our Counseling Center students may take advantage of tutoring in math, English composition, and other disciplines, as well as preparation for the English Proficiency Exam. There is no cost for tutoring. The Counseling Office is located in the Sloan Center.

5. How does a student drop or add a class?
With the permission of the Academic Dean, a student may add a course or courses up to the end of the first full week of the semester, or drop a course or courses up to the end of the twelfth week of the semester. To drop a course, the student must obtain a drop slip from the Registrar and have it properly executed in the allotted time. Students are advised to check with the Office of Financial Aid before dropping a class to make sure their financial aid will not be affected.

A grade of “W” (withdrawal) will be recorded if the course is officially dropped by or in the twelfth week: otherwise, a grade of “F” will be recorded. Refunds for dropped courses will be made according to the Refund of Fees Schedule. Anyone who is not properly enrolled in a course cannot receive credit, and anyone who is not officially dropped from a course cannot receive a refund.

Students withdrawing from school during a semester must fill out a withdrawal permit, have it properly executed by the Registrar, and present it to the Business office in order to leave a clear record and receive refunds from Williams according to the Refund of Fees Schedule. A student completing this process before the beginning of the final examination period will have a “W” recorded on the permanent record. A student who withdraws without following this required procedure will be recorded as having withdrawn unofficially and each grade will be recorded as a “F”, and no fees will be refunded. Students cannot officially withdraw from school after the last day of classes prior to final examinations or while under disciplinary investigation.

6. What services are provided in the Felix Goodson Library?
Currently, the library has 68,347 volumes of books (includes Education Lab in the Sloan Center) and 152 periodical and serials received regularly. The library has open stacks. Users may examine the material before checking them out. Other services available include an online public access catalog, automated circulation, Interlibrary Loan and INTERNET access by computerized networks, Library instruction, reference assistance, and access to a photocopier. The library is open 72 hours hours per week.

Founders Bookstore accepts Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express credit cards. Checks are accepted from well-established accounts. We can not accept any two party checks.

Textbook refunds are allowable within 7 days of the start of classes provided students have their receipts. No refunds on study guides after 7 days of the start of classes. After the initial 7 days, refunds must be made within 2 days from the date of purchase. Any item returned must be new, unmarked, unused, and in original packaging. No refunds are made during the last week of classes or during exam periods.

The bookstore conducts book buy back at the end of the fall and spring semesters, where students have the opportunity to sell their books. Books can be brought back any time after the second week of school, however, they will be bought back according to the wholesale buying guide.

Faxes may be sent from the bookstore. The cost is $1.50 for the first page and $.50 for each additional page when sending and $.50 for each page when receiving.

Normal operating hours for the bookstore are 8:00a.m. until 3:30p.m. Monday through Friday. However, these hours may be shortened during the first and last week of school. For special occasions such as Homecoming and Graduation the bookstore will open on Saturday.

Campus Ministries

1. What is Campus Ministries?
Campus Ministries exists to help students of Williams Baptist College find a deeper walk with God, while providing opportunities to serve and reach out to fellow students, faculty, staff and the surrounding communities. Our desire is to minister to students and meet their needs how ever possible.

2. Who is the Campus Minister?
Josh McCarty is our Director of Campus Ministries. He moved here from Arlington, Texas, but is originally from Arkansas. He received his bachelor degree from Ouachita Baptist University and is currently working on a master's degree.

3. What types of activities does Campus Ministries offer?
On Tuesday nights we have Collide, which is our weekly praise and worship gathering. There peers lead students in worship and a variety of speakers deliver challenging messages. We offer times of fellowship with other Christians as well as opportunities to reach out to the surrounding communities through working with inner city children in Jonesboro, AR, our nursing home ministry, and D-Now weekends. We also offer a variety of discipleship groups, which provide accountability and care for students involved.

Computer Services

1. What types of computer services are offered on campus?
Williams provides computer labs for general student use while school is in session. The labs are located on the ground floor of the Maddox Fine Arts building, Sloan Center, Mabee Student Center, and in the library reading room. Students are automatically assigned an account and have access to email and web services.

Lab hours are generally 8:00a.m. until until 4:00p.m. The library computers are available after 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 P.M. and designated hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Printing is available in both labs and costs 5 cents per page. Prepayment for printing is required and is made during regular business hours in the Business office located upstairs in the Administration building.

Southerland, Nicholas, Shell and Butler residence hall have WIFI. Each room also has Ethernet hookups if you prefer to use them. Anyone who wants to use the Ethernet connections in the residence halls will need to bring an Ethernet cord. Modems and phone cords will not work. All dorm related network problems should be reported to the Director or Assistant Director of Housing. No peer to peer (P2P) file sharing networks (i.e. Napster, AudioGalaxy, etc.) are allowed. WBC does not provide computers in the dorm rooms.

Financial Aid

1. What payment plan does WBC offer?
All charges for tuition, fees, and room and board are due in full at the beginning of each semester. Students unable to pay the full balance at the time of registration must make satisfactory arrangements for payment with the WBC Business Office. A deferred payment plan is available if necessary, with a down payment of one-fourth of the total bill due and payable at registration.

Any student who is delinquent in payments to the College is subject to dismissal. A student may take no final examinations in any semester unless the student’s account is settled before examinations begin; nor may the student receive grades, obtain a transcript, or enroll for another semester until all accounts are settled.

2. When are bills due?
The balance of a student's account will be divided into three equal payments, with the three installments due at monthly intervals.

Due dates will be October 10, November 10 and December 1 for the fall semester, and February 10, March 10 and April 10 for the spring semester.

3. How often do we apply for financial aid?
The Williams Financial Aid Office will work closely with you throughout the entire financial aid process. 97% of Williams’s students receive some type of financial assistance. The Federal Application for Free Student Aid (FAFSA) should be filed once a year after your taxes have been processed. FAFSA will notify students who filled out a FAFSA for the present school year that they should renew their application for the upcoming school year. The on-line FAFSA application will have all the basic information (name, address, etc.) completed for the student. Students will need to update the information from current filed tax information.

2. What furniture is provided in a residence hall room?
The residence hall rooms are furnished with twin beds and mattresses, desks and desk chairs, chest of drawers, and closet space. Students may bring their own refrigerator, television, stereo, and telephone. Rooms are not carpeted.

1. Are first-year students allowed to bring a car?
Students may have vehicles on campus if properly registered in the Office of Student Affairs. A parking decal is issued for an annual fee of $35.00. Students are assigned to designated parking areas and may not drive to class.

At registration each semester, all residential students choose one of the five plans.

PLAN A: 19 Meal Plan
This plan allows student to eat all 19 meals served each week in the Sulcer Dining Room. The meal plan is non-transferable.

PLAN B: 12 Meal Plan
This plan allows students to eat 12 meals per week in the Sulcer Dining Room. It also includes the award of $125 flex dollars per semester and is non-transferable.

PLAN C: 180 Meal Block Plan
This plan allows students to eat 180 meals during the semester in the Sulcer Dining Room and is designed for those students with fluctuating schedules due to athletics or other campus activities. Meals under the 180 Block Plan can be used in the quantity and schedule that best suits an active lifestyle. In addition, this plan includes $100 flex dollars per semester for use in the Sulcer Dining Room or Eagle Coffeehouse & Grill.

PLAN D: Unlimited 7 Day ($100 premium charge required)
The unlimited 7 day plan allows you to eat an unlimited number of snacks and meals in the Sulcer Dining Room from Monday through Sunday. This plan is non-transferable.

PLAN E: Unlimited 5 Day ($100 premium charge required)
The unlimited 5 day plan allows you to eat an unlimited number of meals and snacks in the Sulcer Dining Room from Monday through Friday. This plan, which includes the award of $125 flex dollars per semester, is also non-transferable.

Non-resident students, faculty, and staff may also dine in the cafeteria by purchasing a meal ticket at the entrance. Students who need a special diet, as certified by a physician, may be required to pay an additional charge for meals.

The Mabee-Gwinup Cafeteria offers complete food services: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food service is available on days that the College is in session and does not include holidays or days between semesters.

The Eagle Coffeehouse and Grill in the Student Center is also operated by Fresh Ideas Management and offers a variety of snacks and short orders.

3. What services does Campus Health provide?
WBC is very proud to offer health services through our Campus Health Center for students, faculty, staff, and their families three days per week: Monday through Wednesday. The hours are posted on the door. The Center is conveniently located in the Student Center and is staffed by a registered nurse, who is also a certified instructor in CPR and First Aid.

Educational information about a variety of health issues is available, and brochures and pamphlets are located by the Center’s door. Health information is also disseminated weekly via the College newsletter, Wing Tips. Subject matter covers issues that are pertinent to students, as well as time of year.

The Campus Health Center also hosts an annual Health Fair. The purpose of the Health Fair is to provide students and staff with information regarding health related topics, to provide some testing for certain physical conditions and make them aware of services in our area.

Some medical issues can be handled within the Center. Students with emergencies or sickness requiring referrals will be sent to local physicians. If there is a preference as to a physician, then Campus Health needs to be made aware of such. Flu injections can be given with the approval, in writing, from the referring physician. Students, needing allergy shots, are responsible for furnishing syringes.

In order to provide the best possible health care, students are required to:

Complete the health questionnaire in the packet and return to the Office of Student Affairs prior to registration. Be sure all information is filled in and places for signatures are completed. Insurance information needs to be completed in the spaces provided. If there is none, please indicate as such, rather than leaving the space blank. Information regarding student health insurance is available in the Office of Student Affairs.

Be sure tetanus vaccination is up to date. There is an approximate 10-year immunity.

Currently, the state of Arkansas requires that 2 MMRs be on file prior to entering College. Students, who have measles, must have on file with the College documentation by a physician.

The HIPPA Act passed by Congress allows students’ health information to be given only to those individuals who have a direct need of such to insure that care is provided. The student must designate to whom else information may be given.

Should there be any questions regarding health issues contact Campus Health at (870)759-4298 or the Office of Student Affairs at (870)759-4188.

4. How does my student receive and send mail on campus?
All full-time students are required to have a campus box regardless of whether they reside on campus or off campus. Mailbox assignments (a 4-digit P.O. Box #) are given to new students as a part of the registration process. The mailing address for incoming mail is P.O. Box _ _ _ _, Walnut Ridge, AR 72476. For service providers who will not deliver to a PO Box, use the post office’s address, 56 McClellan, Walnut Ridge, AR 72476.

Stamps, certified mail, money orders (international and domestic), UPS and overnight express mailing services are available to all WBC students, faculty and staff. Incoming off-campus mail is distributed to boxes by 9:30a.m., if possible, Monday through Friday. In-house mail is distributed to boxes on a timely basis. Outgoing mail is taken to the Walnut Ridge Post Office each afternoon by 3:30p.m. All outgoing mail must have proper postage affixed. Mail without postage will be placed in the sender’s campus box.

5. What services are provided in the Career Center?
The Center provides career-counseling services. Two computer-generated programs, Discover and Career Direct, reveal interests, values, goals, and personality strengths to assist students in selecting a career path. Guidance in preparing resumes, interview skills, and other areas related to job search is available.

The Center maintains a current website which lists job opportunities. Williams participates in job fairs in conjunction with the Independent Colleges and Universities of Arkansas, as well as with Arkansas State University.

6. What is a Blue Card?
The Blue Card is a student identification card that is issued during registration by the Office of Student Affairs. This ID card is necessary for meals in the cafeteria, to check out recreational equipment, to attend athletic events, and to checkout books from the Library. Students must also have their Blue Card to receive discounts from various merchants in the surrounding communities. A list of the local merchants who accept the Blue Card is provided for students during the First Fair. Lost cards should be reported to the Office of Student Affairs immediately. Replacement cards are $15.00.

7. What is the Chapel policy?
Chapel programs are offered each Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. in the SMC during both semesters. Programs are designed to provide a variety of cultural, spiritual, and intellectual experiences for everyone. Chapel is required of all students at WBC. The Office of Student Affairs administers the chapel policy as determined by a faculty committee.

Students are allowed four absences per semester. Each subsequent absence will result in a $50.00 fine being placed on the student’s account. Exemptions from chapel are possible in the following cases:

If a student lives off-campus and does not have a class.

If a student has an on-campus activity on Wednesday until noon or later.

If a student has an unavoidable work responsibility which conflicts with chapel. The student must provide a letter from his/her work employer on letterhead detailing the conflict.

A student requesting chapel exemption should complete a chapel exemption form and submit it to the Dean of Students in the Office of Student Affairs. Each petition is considered on its own merit and must be renewed each semester.

8. In case of winter weather, what is the school's closing policy?
In the event of winter weather, a decision will be made by 6:00 a.m. as to whether classes will be delayed or cancelled on that day. This decision will be posted in the residence halls, and it will also be announced on the WBC home page. Radio and television stations in Walnut Ridge, Pocahontas and Jonesboro will also be notified of the status of classes for that day. Those students participating in WBC’s Emergency Alert Notification System will be alerted by text.

9. How can I reach my student in case of emergency?We hope that you will never have to contact your child for an emergency. However, resources are available to you 24 hours a day if a situation does occur. During normal business hours (Monday thru Friday 8:00a.m. until 4:30p.m.), you may contact the Office of Student Affairs at (870)759-4188. After hours and during the weekend, you may contact either the Director of Men’s Housing at (870) 759-4302, the Director of Women’s Housing at (870) 759-4202, or the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services at (682) 518-9074.

If you have a questions that is not answered on this page please click here or call 870-759-4134 to ask our Parent Liaison, Mary Norvell.